SAN FRANCISCO—On Saturday, June 13, the German restaurant Walzwerk closed their doors permanently after operating for 21 years in the city of San Francisco. The owner posted the official announcement of closure on their website.

Walzwerk is a known for serving traditional German food and beer. It was located on South Van Ness Avenue. The restaurant first opened its doors in 1999. The owner, Christiane Schmidt moved to San Francisco from former East Germany regions in 1996. The original intention of creating Walzwerk was to introduce East German cuisines to the city.

Walzwerk was not only known for its classic German dishes and drinks, but also its décor. There were many items from former East Germany displayed throughout the restaurant.

In late-March, the business was facing financial problems. The owner created a donation campaign on GoFundMe to ask for help. It ended gaining $9,019 from 78 donors.

On Friday, June 12, the restaurants across the city were permitted to reopen for outdoor dining. A day later, Walzwerk closed its doors. The owner did not give the reason why the decision to close the business, but thanked all their customers.

“From the bottom of our hearts we are filled with gratitude and appreciation for all you have done for Walzwerk over the years and especially in the last few months. We will never forget the countless memories, lifetime made friendships, million smiles and laughters. Thank you for being part of it! This experience will stay with us FOREVER!” reads a statement on Walzwerk’s website.